According to the present invention a method is provided for chilling a beverage for drinking purposes at a location where ice and refrigerator are not available. An open-topped container is selected for containing the beverage. A refrigerant cartridge is selected having an end opening that is closed by a sealing membrane preferably made of a soft metal. The refrigerant cartridge is inserted into the container with the sealing membrane of the cartridge facing the container top, and is then supported in a fixed position within the container. An elongated cartridge piercing mechanism having on one end thereof a needle point, preferably made of steel, is inserted into the container such that its needle point is adjacent the sealing membrane of the cartridge. After the container has been filled with the beverage, the other end of the cartridge piercing mechanism is adjustably secured to the open end of the container while concurrently securely closing the open end of the container so as to retain the beverage therein. When it is desired to cool and drink the beverage, the outer end of the cartridge piercing mechanism is adjustably moved toward the interior of the container so as to force the needle point of the cartridge piercing mechanism into the sealing membrane of the refrigerant cartridge and thereby release the refrigerant to cool the beverage in the container.
The novel apparatus of the present invention consists of a beverage container, and a capsule containing a refrigerant which is inserted into and securely held inside the beverage container, together with a mechanism to discharge the refrigerant so that the latent heat of evaporation and expansion of the refrigerant gases will impart a chilling action to the refrigerant and hence to the beverage inside the container.
In the presently preferred embodiment of the invention the self-chilling portable beverage container assembly includes a bottle having a neck portion, and a bottle cap that removably closes the neck. A refrigerant cartridge is disposed inside the bottle, and has an end opening closed by a sealing membrane. A hollow cartridge support structure projects through the neck portion of the bottle and hence into the bottle interior, and has a base end that is releasably secured to the neck of the bottle. An elongated cartridge piercing mechanism has one end attached to a central portion of the bottle cap, and also has an operating end with a needle point extending interiorly of the bottle. The refrigerant cartridge is fixedly supported by the cartridge support structure.
For operating the presently preferred form of the container assembly when it is desired to first cool and then drink the contents, a central portion of the bottle cap is made to be selectively movable in a direction inwardly of the bottle to drive the cartridge piercing mechanism further inwardly of the bottle so that its needle point pierces the sealing membrane of the refrigerant cartridge and thereby releases the refrigerant to cool the beverage contained in the remaining portion of the bottle.